Magic/Heat preview
The Miami Heat (4-7, 2-4 home) are just a shell of the team that won the NBA championship just 5 months ago. They are not only getting beat, they are getting blown out of many games. MIA has a 3 game losing streak at home, and has been outscored by an average of a whopping 17.7 pts per game in those losses. And don't forget the embarrassing 42 pt loss at the hands of CHI the first game of the season. Pat Riley, who was brilliant in coaching the team in the finals, now is seemingly helpless to do anything to help or motivate this aging, slow, unathletic, injury-prone team.
Dwyane Wade is trying to do all he can, but unlike last season's playoffs, is getting absolutely no help at all. Wade leads the Heat in 4 categories: scoring (26.6 ppg), assists (7.0 per game), steals (1.6 per game) and FT % (84.1%). Udonis Haslem is averaging 12.3 ppg, while Antoine Walker is at 10.6 ppg, and Jason Williams at 10.3 ppg. Shaq will be out for at least another month. The Heat is coming off a 106-86 beatdown at San Antonio.
The Magic (8-4, 2-3 road) have won 5 of their last 6 games. DHoward has been very impressive, and leads the league in rebounding at 13.8 rebs per game and is fourth in FG% at 60.5%. MIA is averaging just 88.7 ppg and is allowing 99.5 ppg. ORL is averaging 96.6 ppg and is allowing 94.3 ppg. Magic have lost 10 of their last 12 games against MIA, but split 4 games last season. Many things point to a Magic blowout here, but Magic are just 1 pt favorites (www.pinnaclesports.com).
Dwyane Wade is trying to do all he can, but unlike last season's playoffs, is getting absolutely no help at all. Wade leads the Heat in 4 categories: scoring (26.6 ppg), assists (7.0 per game), steals (1.6 per game) and FT % (84.1%). Udonis Haslem is averaging 12.3 ppg, while Antoine Walker is at 10.6 ppg, and Jason Williams at 10.3 ppg. Shaq will be out for at least another month. The Heat is coming off a 106-86 beatdown at San Antonio.
The Magic (8-4, 2-3 road) have won 5 of their last 6 games. DHoward has been very impressive, and leads the league in rebounding at 13.8 rebs per game and is fourth in FG% at 60.5%. MIA is averaging just 88.7 ppg and is allowing 99.5 ppg. ORL is averaging 96.6 ppg and is allowing 94.3 ppg. Magic have lost 10 of their last 12 games against MIA, but split 4 games last season. Many things point to a Magic blowout here, but Magic are just 1 pt favorites (www.pinnaclesports.com).
posted by Mike from Illinois @ 4:05 AM
4 Comments:
At 4:35 AM,
Mike from Illinois said…
Dwight should dominate against Mourning or anyone else the Heat tries to use against him. As long as we keep our TOs to a reasonable number and avoid a total meltdown like what happened at MEM, I see no reason why the Magic shouln't beat the defending NBA champs (or "chumps", like Introvert 316 calls them) by double digits.
At 8:26 AM,
Matt said…
I don't see how we could lose this game except for allowing 3-pointers late in the game. With Shaq out our front-line should dominate and we should be able to put the game out of reach by third quarter. Magic 103-88.
At 11:06 AM,
Big Figure said…
Can anybody wake up hedo,or at least get him to try taking the ball to the basket for a change(cause it doesnt seem like he wants to),just like against the pacers,the magic better take the ball to the basket if they want a win.....
At 3:02 PM,
OVERWADED said…
We could lose this game the exact way we've lost all our games this year. But one game stands out more than the rest; the game against Philly. Right now, the Heat are a crappy team like Philly with 1 "superstar". If the game is close, the 1 player on their team that's worth a damn, will try and take over, and is going to get all the calls against our guys, having the officials treat a guy like Grant Hill like he is a rookie. If the game is close, I don't think we can win. Wade will make baskets, from the field, or his usually way, the free throw line.
The rest of the Heat pretty much suck. Their 2nd best player is Zo, who will spend the entire game "hulking up" and flexing trying to scare Dwight. That might work again a guy like Darko, but it should do nothing but piss Dwight off. I WANT to see Dwight and Darko out there playing together tonight! It should be a must with the lineups the Heat play with and style they play. We should DOMINATE the Heat on the inside.
Then again, if you think about the outside, who is going to stop Jameer or Carlos? Oh wait, they have "the glove"; hahahahaha. I'm sorry; I just can't take this team seriously. Unfortunately, I can see the Magic losing, especially if the game is close. However, if we control the boards, and execute halfway decent on the offensive end, the game shouldn't be close enough for OVERWADED to beat us from the free throw line. So bring on the NBA Chumps! If all else fails, I'll make sure I have enough alcohol to swallow whatever loads of crap I witness tonight.
Magic 98-89
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